Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ agonist improves arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease

Arterial stiffness is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events in diabetic patients, and it can be assessed by measuring pulse wave velocity (PWV). We investigated the degree of arterial stiffness in diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and the effect of the proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) agonist rosiglitazone on arterial stiffness in the potential mechanism of anti-arteriosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and CAD. The 123 participants were divided into 3 groups: healthy controls (n = 36), diabetic patients (n = 41), and diabetic patients with CAD (n = 46). Forty-six diabetic patients with CAD were randomly divided into 2 groups: untreated diabetic patients with CAD and diabetic patients with CAD treated with 4 mg/d of rosiglitazone (n = 25) for 12 weeks. Pulse wave velocity was measured before treatment and at 12-week follow-up. Baseline PWV was significantly higher in patients with diabetes, diabetes and CAD, and diabetes and CAD with treatment as compared with the healthy control group (1633 ± 37.3, 1669 ± 53.8, 1615 ± 44.4, and 1360 ± 39.9 cm/s, respectively, P < .001). Pulse wave velocity in the rosiglitazone-treated group was significantly reduced, from 1615 ± 44.4 to 1525 ± 43.1 cm/s, after 12-week treatment, Furthermore, PWV was significantly decreased in the rosiglitazone-treated group compared with untreated group after 12 weeks (1525 ± 43.1 and 1670 ± 41.3 cm/s, respectively). Pulse wave velocity in the untreated group did not differ from baseline levels after 12 weeks. In addition, plasma C-reactive protein level was decreased significantly in the rosiglitazone-treated group compared with values at baseline and for the untreated group after 12 weeks (0.73 ± 0.09, 1.71 ± 0.24, and 1.33 ± 0.29 mg/L, respectively). Plasma level of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 was decreased in the rosiglitazone group compared with the level at baseline (392 ± 42 and 273 ± 40 pg/mL, respectively). Moreover, the decrease in PWV was associated linearly both with improved homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and with decreased C-reactive protein level after PPAR-γ agonist treatment. In conclusion, PPAR-γ agonist rosiglitazone treatment may significantly decrease arterial stiffness in diabetic patients with CAD. Proliferator-activated receptor γ agonists may play an important role in protecting against arteriosclerosis by normalizing the metabolic disorders and depressing chronic inflammation of the vascular system in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and serious vascular disease.